Ramblings about everything from Cars to Computers

Apple Bumper a rip-off – Best Cheap iPhone bumper/case

Like most new iPhone 4 buyers, I knew that I had to purchase a bumper to insure no antenna issues, and I wanted something to protect my fancy new purchase, especially since I have a tendency to drop small expensive items. So, I told the sales guy to ring up a black bumper and I would be on my way. Imagine my surprise when I got home and realized I paid $29 for a shockingly small amount of rubber stretched around my iPhone!

At least I was happy with my new phone, and the bumper did perform as advertised, it kept my phone safe, provided a grippy handle, and masked any antenna problems. However, after six months it finally started to fall apart.

Being cheap, I just found it very difficult to accept that I would need to budget $30 every six months to the gods at Cupertino. So, while placing an order for live crickets or some such on Amazon, I decided to buy a couple different cases and try and figure out which I liked better. And, as a bonus I would have the opportunity to share my findings with the two other folks who read this blog.

The first up was the Apple iPhone 4 Semi-Hard Polymer Crystal Case – Smokey for a cool $3.49. This one was a bit of surprise, as I was expecting a softer (semi-hard?) feel. In fact, this was the sturdiest of the three I tested. While I am confident that it would do a good job protecting the phone, and it feels solid when gripping, it was a bit too industrial for my tastes. But, I would use this as a back-up in a pinch if needed, no doubt.

The Yellow and Black Premium Bumper Case for the Apple iPhone 4 for AT&T was a tasty $2.99. Really, how could you go wrong at this price? The bumper slipped on with no problems, all teh buttons worked perfectly. But, it had a fatal flaw for me. The iPhone connecter in my car would not fit through the opening in the bottom. The newer iPhone cable fitted fine. I am tempted to do some minor surgery to fix this over-sight. When completed, I will post an update. If you only use the standard iPhone cable, this bumper will do the job for you, and it is an order of magnitude cheaper than the Apple original.

The last case I tried as the most expensive (if you can call it that), and the one going into the test that I expected to win. That case is the Incipio NGP for iPhone 4/4S in Matte Black at a still very affordable $12.55. This case is solid all the way around. It is actually a case rather then just a bumper, it features an enclosed back. The unit is made out of a very tough plastic that still has a bit of a rubber feel. I am really enjoying this case, and again, the price is right.

As always, I am a huge fan of Amazon Prime. The fact that I can buy a quality bumper for under $3 and have it shipped to my door in two days is really a pretty amazing thing. Each of these cases/bumpers is a good value, I think most folks would be happy with any one of them, and at the rock bottom prices, but one of each like I did and pick your favorite. You can then use the other two as backups, or switch it up every now and then to give your phone a new feel.